After reading these three articles between how coaches and players do not get along with them attacking each other and when a player does something terrible and the coach defends them. We all have been in a situation where we do not want to be talked to by a family member or friend just because he had a bad day, but when you bring that attitude to a sporting event or practice sometimes the player or coach my lose their composure. Which happened in the three articles that I read, dealing with Latrell Sprewell choked his coach PJ Carlesimo during practice, coach Bobby Knight choked one of his own players Neil Reed, and when Rick Carlisle defended Ron Artest and other players he coached after the brawl in Detroit. In reading those articles I feel that they told me that there is either a bad, competitive, or good relationship between a player and coach. The one with Sprewell and Carlesimo, Sprewell who showed up to practice late that day choked his coach Carlesimo because Carlesimo wanted to know where he has been for being late. Although in the article it states that racial comments were said to Sprewell, but later found out that there were no such thing. So Sprewell was fired by the Golden State Warriors, the team he played for at the time, and was suspended by the NBA for the remainder of the season. In the article about Bobby Knight choking his player Neil Reed, it was halftime during a game when Bobby Knight was still coaching the Indiana University's men's basketball team and Knight was so upset with his players that the one player Neil Reed said something to Knight and Knight went after him and started choking him. After the news broke out about that incident the Indiana University's President fined Bobby Knight $30,000 and suspended him three games. In the final article I read coach Rick Carlisle defends Ron Artest's actions against the Detroit Pistons fan that threw a cup of beer at him and then Artest went after him in that brawl we all heard about. It states that Carlisle feels that Ron Artest is a great player that he should be getting more respect from coaches, players, and fans but he's not because of his actions on and off the court. Rick Carlisle and Ron Artest though had a bad starting to this year when Artest asked for time off to promote his new album coming out. With that knowledge Rick Carlisle still defended his player when he needed to the most.

Opinion

After reading the first article about Latrell Sprewell choking his coach PJ Carlesimo, I feel that Sprewell was just in a terrible mood maybe from a game he played in few nights before, maybe feeling bad because something happened with his family, or maybe he was just having a bad day, but anyways Carlesimo should of realized that Sprewell was late because of a good legitimate reason. PJ Carlesimo probably did not realize it so he went to Sprewell and said something to Sprewell and pushed him to a limit were Sprewell could only react to so he started choking Carlesimo. I feel that what happened to Sprewell was the right thing to do because if your head coach and star player cannot get along in practice then how could they get along during a game. But what I do not agree with is how the NBA got involved. I feel that with the incident between Sprewell and Carlesimo were their problem and the Golden State Warriors, which they dealt with, but with David Stern (Commissioner of the NBA) to step in and suspend Sprewell for the rest of the season is not the right thing to do. More on that when I get to my conclusion part later in the paper.

The next article was Bobby Knight choking one of his players Neil Reed. I feel that because this was during a halftime in a game that Bobby Knight and Neil Reed were still in competitive moods, which I stated before. I have been played sports for most of my life and I know how it is when you are in between quarters, periods, or innings, or when it is halftime you feel like your still out on the field competing against the other team and that's the way you react to some comments that are said or actions someone has. Also I am a coach now and I realize it when I see my players not caring or saying something that they shouldn't have I have let it go because I need to be a good role model for them and not just get angry at them even though I might be in that state of mind. So what happened with Bobby Knight its just another thing that goes into the category of one of his outrageous actions with its holding a press conference, being interview, or something he does on the court like throwing a chair. But he should still know that he is a COACH and not a player, also he is representing a University and a state that loves basketball.

The third and final article that I read dealt with Indianapolis Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle making comments defending one of his star players Ron Artest after the incident with the Detroit fans. One of the most outrageous brawls I have ever seen in my life watching and playing sports Carlisle's comments and actions were the right thing to do as a coach to help out one of your players. Ron Artest's actions were definitely the one's I would of not chosen to use in that situation, but that's probably not a sure thing because once again he was in the middle of a game and probably in a competitive mood. But afterwards Ron Artest needed support from any kind of source whether it was from fans or players, but he got the most support from coach Rick Carlisle. That I feel is the most important and treasured relationship between a coach and player, and that is a friendship. Coaches and players need to establish a great friendship because it will take you far as a team and organization.

Conclusion

The changes that I would of made in the first article dealing with the Golden State Warriors organization is nothing, they felt that this would probably be an ongoing situation throughout the season and they needed to make an ethical decision. Also in the organization's point of view they needed to protect their coach because he was the victim in this incident and needed to show some muscle against players who don't agree with their coaches' ideas. Now going back to David Stern, who I mentioned before, his decision to suspended Latrell Sprewell for the rest of the season was not the right choice. If I was in the David Stern's shoes I would have let Sprewell become a free agent because he is a star athlete in the league and could of benefited another team in the league that could use his skills and talents. I know that sounds kind of stupid but the team that would of picked him up should know what they were getting themselves into by getting him, so I feel Stern was out of line with his decision.

The changes that I would of made in the second article dealing with the Bobby Knight incident is that I would of fired Bobby Knight right there on the spot. He should never, ever go after one of his own players no matter what the player said. For all I know Neil Reed could of said that you are girl and you smell like a rotten egg that gives Bobby Knight no reason to go after him. I feel that the Indiana University President acted like a coward because he has been around Knight's career at Indiana and felt that the media and fellow students at Indiana would criticize him for his decision. So that's probably why he only gave Knight a $30,000 fine and suspended him only three games, which I feel is just a little slap on the wrist of Knight. The President has to protect his students before his coach, because then they, the University, will lose student athletes that would of liked to come to Indiana but don't want to now because Knight can do anything to you and they won't protect what so ever.

The changes that I would make in the third and final article are none; Carlisle is a good coach and defended his players in their time of need because it was the right thing to do. Honestly I feel that Carlisle could of went into that press conference and said that this was terrible, which it was, and could of said so many criticizing remarks to Artest and others but he didn't because he wanted to act like a class-act coach who definitely cares about his players. The only thing that I would of liked to see was that Ron Artest have a press conference a say that he appreciated the comments made by Carlisle and show a side of gratitude.

Summary

Overall there are going to be different kinds of situation that coaches and players are going to go through. As I stated before I am a coach, and after reading these articles I have definitely learned a lot from all these incidents and situations. Coaches and players need to establish a friendly, competitive relationship. What I mean by that is that when you are off the field or court you can be friends, you know joke with each other and have a good time, but when you get onto that field or court it is time to go to work and that playtime is over and you need to get serious to help your team and teammates compete at a high level of competition. If you do not have this kind of relationship with your coaches and players then I feel that your season as a team will become a total disaster, because you probably cannot trust each other when you go out to play the game. So that's why I feel that the coach, player relationship will help out or not a team in their season of play.

Bibliography

Freinstein, John. A Season on the Brink. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. 1989.